Senior Women Talent Pipeline: Portugal hosts a five-day Training on Leadership
From December 15 to 19, Portugal hosted a Training on Leadership under the framework of the Senior Women Talent Pipeline (SWTP), organized in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the UN Department of Operational Support.
As the United Nations’s flagship programme for promoting gender parity in leadership positions across the UN system, the SWTP plays a vital role in ensuring that women’s vision and expertise are fully integrated into decision‑making at the highest levels.
The training, which brought together 26 participants, focused on developing leadership skills to effectively guide and support international peace and security initiatives, while enhancing participants’ preparedness for senior roles, particularly within UN Peace Operations, where gender imbalances in leadership positions remain most pronounced.
As a testament to Portugal’s clear commitment to the empowerment of women to take on leadership roles, the programme featured key interventions from Portugal’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Ms. Ana Isabel Xavier, during the interactive panel; the President of the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Ambassador Ana Paula Zacarias, delivering the welcome speech; and the Director General of Foreign Policy, Ambassador Helena Malcata, who provided the closing remarks.
In her address, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation stressed that:
“The truth is clear: women’s leadership is not only necessary — it is indispensable, as women are fundamental drivers of change. They are essential in bridging divides and forging inclusive solutions.
By investing in the development of a new generation of women leadership, we are investing not only in the present but in the creation of a more just, secure, and inclusive future – one in which peace and security are truly shared values.”
As this year marks the 25th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which recognised the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women and girls and acknowledged the indispensable role of women in peace and security, Portugal remains fully committed to the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and to promoting gender equality and the meaningful participation of women in all decision-making processes.
Portugal is therefore most proud to have hosted this Training on Leadership, supporting a new generation of women leaders who will help shape the future of international peace and security.
